PASSIVE VOICE

Definition
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action.
 In the passive sentence, the object of an active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb.
Only transitive verbs are used in the passive. Intransitive verbs such as happen, sleep, come and seem cannot be used in the passive.


When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
• the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
• the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
• the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)






Agent
     In a passive clause, we usually use a phrase beginning with by if we want to mention the agent - the person or thing that does the action, or that causes what happens.
If you want to change an active sentence which has two objects into its passive forms, there are two ways:
1. Make its indirect object into the subject of the passive sentence.
2. Make its direct object into the subject of the passive sentence.

Pattern: be + past participle
Example:
- The boy are listening to a story.
The story was being told by grandfather.

- Snow white eats a poisonous apple
A poisonous apple is eaten by snow white




The rules for forming the passive voice,

(1) The sentence should have Object (Transitive Verb).

(2) Object in the active sentence becomes the subject in passive sentences.

(3) said his work should form the III (Past Participle) preceded by a to be (am, is,are, was, were the resource persons, been) and
(4) The structure of the sentence by tenses.

A. Simple Past Tense
Structure —> Subject + was/were + Past Participle
Example:
(A) Fire destroyed the house. —> (P) The house was destroyed by fire.

B. Simple Present Tense
Structure —> Subject + am/is/are + Past Participle
Example:
(A) People all over the world speak English. —> (P) English is spoken all over the world.

C. Present Perfect Tense
Structure —> Subject + have/has been + Past Participle
Example:
(A) The students have copied the lesson. —> (P) The lesson has been copied by the students.

D. Present Continuous Tense
Structure —> Subject + am/is/are + being + Past Participle
Example:
(A) She is typing the letter. —> (P) The letter is being typed.

E. Simple Future Tense
Structure —> Subject + shall/will be + Past Participle
Example:
(A) They will sign the contract next week. —> (P) The contract will be signednext week.

F. Passive Voice with Auxiliaries
Structure —> Subject + aux + be + Past Participle
Example:
(A) He must finish the work today. —> (P) The work must be finished today.